Virginia Tech Transportation Institute's (VTTI) exhibit at Feb. 28th hands-on event

Title: Demonstration of a Vehicle-Based Data Acquisition System.

Virginia Tech Transportation Institute's (VTTI) data acquisition system, or DAS, will be demonstrated through interactive activities with users during the Technology Showcase for the Kids' Tech University on February 28, 2009.

A game console like those typically used with racing video games is employed to interactively demonstrate the type of data that is collected in transportation safety research activities. Users will see, first hand, the video and driving performance data that is collected as they operate the game console.

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VTTI, a top-three transportation research center in the United States, employing over 200 faculty, staff and students, focuses on solving major transportation problems through the use of technology to improve transportation safety, reduce traffic congestion, and reduce infrastructure costs. VTTI is dedicated to saving lives, saving time and saving money in the transportation field by developing and using state-of-the-art tools, techniques, and technologies to solve transportation challenges on the nation’s roadways.

The Institute has unique and extensive research facilities that are being actively used to address these problems. One such facility is the Virginia Smart Road, which has been open for testing since the spring of 2000. The Smart Road’s unique features include the largest weather generation facility in North America and a “live” roadway lighting laboratory used to study traction and visibility improvements on our roads.

VTTI conducts test track and on-road studies to develop countermeasure applications that address safety such as driver monitoring, feedback, and training, as well as the development of state-of-the art crash warning systems. VTTI has become a leader in naturalistic, real-world driving research. The Institute has conducted the 100-Car Naturalistic Driving Study, the largest naturalistic driving study of its kind to date; is now poised to garner the largest naturalistic transportation study ever attempted; has conducted naturalistic long-haul truck driving studies, the results of which were used by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to change the long-haul drivers’ hours of service regulations; and is conducting various teen driving studies to close the gap in our knowledge of why teens pose a much higher crash risk when compared to other drivers.

VTTI is uniquely qualified and positioned to answer the Commonwealth of Virginia’s call, as well as the nation’s call for safer and more efficient transportation. We have 9 leading research centers within VTTI; 181 years of combined VTTI center directors’ experience in transportation research; a 2.2-mile Smart Road for safe, closed-track test-bed research; over 10,119 hours of logged Smart Road research with over $60 million in awarded research since opening in 2000; over 51,000 sq. ft. of laboratory and garage facilities; and our research has been chronicled in most major national and many international outlets as being the leader in conducting transportation research to save lives.